Chapter 2
Thursday night after work and a monotonous day of paperwork. Was I at home relaxing on the couch eating a box of take-out? No, I was at the mall, Christmas shopping. As I walked through the mall, looking at all the stores, I groaned; this was harder than I imagined. Normally, I know exactly what to get people for Christmas, but this was different. What do you get for a guy that you work with and kinda like? Like. My mind tells me that I am acting like a stupid little school girl with a crush, but this is different. Tony isn't just a crush, is he? He can always make me smile, and isn't above being the butt of a joke. He goofs off a lot, granted, but he can be serious when the job calls for it. Most of the time. I grinned in remembrance of several incidents where his childish nature had gotten him in trouble with Gibbs.
Tony may be a skirt chaser, but I think if he was ever serious about someone, he would be faithful. Oh, and that smile! The first time I he flashed it at me, I nearly melted; and that was even before I liked him! Alright, so I've decided that Tony is good enough for me, but the real question is: am I Tony's type? A little voice in my mind said, "You're a woman; you're Tony's type." I chuckled to myself, and continued looking at the stores.
Oh, what's something he would like? Candy? A tie? Hair gel? Ugh, this is hopeless! Then I saw something in a store window that caught my eye. Yes, Tony would definitely like this! 'Limited Stock'? I'd better hurry. I ran inside and searched the shelves frantically, hoping they weren't sold out. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw one left, sitting on the bottom shelf. I grabbed it and quickly paid for it. As I left the mall, I had a thought, and decided to make one more quick stop before heading home.
When I reached my apartment, I dug around under the bed in the spare bedroom, looking for the wrapping paper. I found a roll that had a wreath print and the words "Happy Holidays" on it. I wrapped my gift carefully, trying to make it look nice. Further digging under the bed produced a shiny red bow, which contrasted nicely with the green wreaths. I stood back to admire my work. Well, getting it gift-wrapped might have looked better, but this was more personal. Satisfied, I placed it in my bag and went to bed.